Apparatus for soldering ends to can bodies



Oct; 4, 1938. A. M. CAMERON APPARATUS FOR SOLDERING ENDS TO CAN BODIES Filed Feb. 3, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 fm e/zZEn'- CZLZan/M M17774 297m WWW fl A. M. CAMERON APPARATUS FOR SOLDERING ENDS TO CAN BODIES Filed Feb. 3, 1956 6' sheets-sheet 2 I I I in.

Oct. 4, 1938.

Oct. 4, 1938. A. MUCAMERON APPARATUS FOR SOLDERING ENDS TO can BODIES Filed Feb. a, 1936 e Sheet-Sheet s H H m.

Oct. 4, 1938. A. M. CAMERON 2,132,145

APPARATUS FOR SOLDERING ENDS TO CAN BODIES Filed Feb. 3, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 4, 1938. A. M. CAMERON 2,132,145

APPARATUS FOR SOLDERING ENDS TO CAN BODIES Filed Feb. 3, 1936 6 Shaw-Sheet 5 1:11;: n m, I

I nae/2217 1 QlZazz/flhinemm MQZwMe QW 'Oct. 4, 1938. A. M. CAMERON Q 2,132,145

APPARATUS FOR SOLDERING ENDS TO CAN BODIES Filed Feb. 3, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Iii/(18122 571 CZZZQfl/ZZ Calwom, JWM M uQM 1- M Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE Allan M. Cameron, Oak Park, Ill., assignmto Cameron Can Machinery Co., Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application February 3, 1936, Serial No. 62,069

4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for soldering ends to can ends; and while the principles thereof are capable of embodiment in machines of this general character for various purposes, the invention is illustrated herein as incorporated in a machine by which ends of the slip-on type may be secured and hermetically sealed to the ends of previously formed tin can bodies.

The cans with which my present invention is particularly concerned are of the type designed to contain liquid contents which, as in the case of beer for instance, are at times under considerable pressure. This necessitates the employment not only of a well constructed can but one which is hermetically sealed and capable of retaining the exerted pressure without leakage. The side seams of the bodies of containers for this purpose are, of course, locked and soldered; and it has heretofore been customary to double, seam the ends to the body in order to insure tight and leakproof joints. The double seaming operation,

however, necessitates a depression of the top end,

or at least a circumferential portion thereof, to afford room for the operation of the seaming rolls. Such depression of the'top is disadvantageous in some instances as it affords provision for the lodgement and retention of dust, dirt, and drippings of the can contents resulting from pouring.

My present invention contemplates the elimination of the depression of the can tops by soldering instead of double seaming the ends to the can bodies. This admits of the employment of a cone top. of gradual flare from its upper end to the perimeter of the can unbroken by any depression heretofore necessitated by the double seaming. The ends with which my invention is concerned are accordingly of the slip-on type comprising a peripheral flange adapted to fit snugly over the unflanged ends of the can body to which the ends are securely and hermetically attached by soldering. My present invention is devoted to insuring hermetic and leakproof joints between the body and its ends which will be capable of withstanding and resisting a maximum internal pressure without leakage.

With these purposes in view, this invention contemplates amachine which will grasp the cone top end of the can and thereby support it during its travel through the machine. During its travel, it is supplied with solder at the juncture of the can body and the top end, the solder' being applied while the can is being revolved. The mere application of solder to the joint is often insufliclent to insure against leakage and therefore the can, while still being revolved after receiving its application of solder, is tilted into an inclined position so that the flange of the end is inclined upwardly; whereupon the applied solder is subjected to heat by which it is melted and caused to flow into the joint between the end flange and the body so as to provide a strong and hermetically sealed joint.

Thereafter, during its travel through the machine, the body receives an application of solder at the juncture of the other end with the body; and subsequently the body, while still revolving, is inclined in the opposite direction and heated so that the solder at the lower end of the body will be melted and will flow into the joint between that end of the body and the can end to provide there also a strong and hermetically sealed joint. Thereafter the bodies with the ends securely and hermetically attached thereto are released from the holding mechanism and discharged from the machine.

The principal purposes of my invention are to provide a machine for performing the aforementioned operations in an eflicient, reliable,

and satisfactory manner. Other purposes and advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Figs. 1A and 13 represent compositely a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention, certain of the parts being omitted in the interests of clarity;

Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are transverse sectional views taken on the lines 22, 3--3, and 4-'4, respectively, of Figs.- 1A and 13; some of the parts,

such as 12 and 94 for instance, being omitted for clarity.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1A;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation partially in section looking, toward the left at Fig. 5; and

on the line 1-1 of Fig. 1A.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, reference character 8 indicates generally the base or bed of the machine which carries a series of upright somewhat yoke-shaped frame members designated by reference characters 9, ll, l2, I3, l4, and I5, respectively. These members, in conjunction with the requisite longitudinally extending connections and reinforcements, provide Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken the framework of the machine by whichthe op erating mechanisms to be later described are carried. A heavy transversely extending shaft l8 (Figs. 1A and 1B) journalled in the frame member 9 has fixedly mounted thereon a sprocket wheel II, a turret |8 and a chuck carrying disc or spider l9. This shaft is driven in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 1A, from a motor 2| through the intermediary of a belt 22, a pulley 23, a shaft 24 upon which the pulley is mounted, and a worm 25 upon this shaft cooperating with a worm-wheel 26 fixed upon the outer end of shaft I5.

An endless carrier or conveyor comprising links 21 pivotally connected by pins 28 equipped at one end with a supporting roller 29 is trained over the sprocket wheel I! and also over a companion sprocket wheel 3| mounted upon ashaft 32 at the opposite end of the machine. This latter shaft is journalled in adjustable bearings 33 which may be adjusted by screws 34 to vary the tension on the carrier in accordance with the requirements.

Both the upper and lower stretches of the car rier are supported between the sprocket wheels upon tracks comprising the inner members 35 and the outer members 36 so that upon the upper stretch the weight is carried upon the member 35 and on the lower stretch the weight is carried by the member 36, the carrier being maintained at all points between the sprockets in a substantially horizontal position.

The cans to be operated upon and which are designated generally by reference character 31 comprise a previously formed body 38, a slip-on.

' beer bottles and by which cans of this type may be sealed. These cans comprising the bodies with the ends previously .slipped on and frictionally retained in position are fed to the turret I8 of the machine by a chute 44 or other preferred feed device and are located in successive pockets of the turret as they are brought into receiving position beneath the chute. As they are carried upwardly by the turret, they are moved successively in their pockets toward the right, viewing Fig. 2, by chuck heads 45 carried upon spindles 46 slidably mounted in the chuck ring or spider I9. These chuck heads are normallyretained in retracted position by springs 4'! surrounding the respective spindles 45, but as each spindle approaches its uppermost position the head 48 thereof moves over the face and clamped by the holding dogs The structure of these dogs will be best observed in Fig. 5 from which it will be understood that each dog comprises a clamping and holding portion adapted to grasp the head 43 of the can top and a tail portion disposed in the groove 52 of a head fixed on the inner end of a rod 53 which extends through a hollow spindle 54 to the inner end of which the dog carrying head 55 is threaded or is otherwise secured. The rod 53 is normally urged toward the right, viewing Fig. 5, to close the dogs 5| about the neck of the can top by an expansion spring 56, but the rodcap 51 against which the spring exerts its outward thrust is moved in its upward travel with the turret against the face of a stationary cam 58 (Fig. 2) opposed to the cam 49 so that the rod 53 is pushed inwardly to open the dogs for the reception of the can end at the time the can is pushed between the dogs by the cam 49. The rod cap 51 and the spindle member 48 thereupon leave their respective cams, the chuck heads 45 are retracted, and the cans are grasped, held, and supported by the dogs 5| under the influence of the spring 56. It will be understood, of course, that the cans are successively brought into cooperative holding relation with their respective dogs as the turret continuously revolves.

Referring further to Figs. 5 and 7, it will be observed that each spindle 54 is journalled in a housing 59 which in turn is pivotally mounted at 5| between the parallel upright walls 62 and 83 formed as a part of the link carrierstructure. Each spindle is supported near its inner end by a roller 54 travelling upon a track 65 and is rotated during its travel by a pinion 66 fixed to its outer end and meshing with a stationary rack 61. When, therefore, a, can has become seated between and engaged and supported by its dogs 5| (three or more of which are preferably employed for each can), it is thereafter supported and carried through the machine by its spindle 54 which during its travel is rotated by its pinion 66 to thereby similarly rotate the can as it travels along.

As the cans leave the turret they are first heated up by being subjected to gas flames directed downwardly from a burner 68 (Fig. 1A) against the area in proximity to the edge of the flange of the topend which telescopes over the upper end of the can body. This area is there-. by heated up as the can revolves in its travel beneath the flame and is thereby prepared for the reception of the solder, the application of which will now be described.

From Figs. 1A and 5, it will be observed that a solder bath or tank 69 'is adjustably suspended between posts H and 12 upon adjustable abutment screws 13, the solder therein being maintained in molten condition by a series of burners 14 located beneath the bath. Within the bath,

an endless chain solder applicator, designated.v

generally by reference character 15, is trained over a pair of sprocket wheels, one of which is driven by a belt or chain Hi from a countershaft I'I which in turn is gear driven from a shaft 18 driven by bevelled gears 19 from a longitudinally extending shaft 8|. This latter shaft is equipped with a gear 82 (Fig. 2) which is driven by a pinion 83 fixed to a pulley or sprocket wheel 84 driven from the motor 2| through a chain or belt 85.

The solder applicator comprises a series of applicator blocks 86 which on the upper stretch are supported by a track 8'! in contiguous relation to the superpositioned traveling and'revolving cans as is best disclosed in Fig. 5. A shollow depth of molten flux 88 floats upon the bath of molten solder so that as each applicator block emerges from the bath it carries with it a quantity of flux and solder which is applied to the revolving can in proximity to the flange of the cap within the area which has been previously heated by the burner 58as above described.

A can body which has received its solder application then moves on to the sweating station where this solder is remelted and caused to flow by gravity into the joint between the body and the cap flange so as to insure a strong and hermetically sealed joint between the end and body. The supporting track 65 for the holding spindle rollers 64 is so shaped that after leaving the soldering station the holders are tilted from the horizontal to the inclined position illustrated in Figs. 1A, 1B, and '7, this tilting being accomplished by a lift in the track, the contour of which is indicated by reference character 89 in Fig. 1A. This'tilting of the can inclines the can end flange in proximity to the applied solder upwardly so that when the heat is again applied to the solder it will, in its molten condition, flow by gravity into the joint between the can body and the end. The heating of the solder for this purpose is accomplished by an elongated burner 9i which directs its flames against the area of the can to which the solder has been applied. The rotation of the can, while subject to this heat, causes a uniform distribution 'of the solder around the circumference of the body and results in a strong, durable, and leakproof joint capable of withstanding a high internal pressure without leakage.

After the solder has been melted by reheating, as described, it is cooled by jets from an air pressure supply pipe 92 located in proximity to the traveling cans. After the pipe 92 has been passed, the track 65 is gradually depressed again as indicated at 93 (Fig. 13) so that the cans may continue their travel around the sprocket 33 in substantially horizontal position To in sure against displacement of the cans and holder's during their travel around the sprocket, a curved guard 94 is arranged as shown in Fig. 1B.

As the cans leave the sprocket 33, they are supported in horizontal position by the lower track 95 upon which the rollers 64 travel. position of the cans, both as they approach and leave the sprocket 33, is best illustrated in Fig. 4. Immediately above the track 95 there is disposed, as shown in Fig. 13, a burner 96 corresponding in function with the burner 68 previously described. The burner 96, however, is located above the bottoms or flat capped ends of the cans so that as they travel beneath the burner the area in proximity to the edge of the end flange is heated as illustrated in Fig. 4.

After being heated, the cans are passed over a soldering bath 91 mounted upon posts 98 and 99 similarly to the bath 69, this bath being heated by burners IM to maintain the solder and flux in the bath in molten condition. An endless chain solder applicator comprising a series of applicator blocks I02 similar to the blocks 86 is trained over sprockets on shafts I03 and I04 within the conflnes of the bath, the applicator being driven by a chain I05 from a sprocket I06 which in turn is driven from a pinion I01 on a shaft I08 equipped with a beveled gear I09 which meshes with a. companion gear III on the longitudinal shaft 8|, this drive mechanism being similar to that for the solder applicator previously described.

After the solder has been applied to the heated area by the applicator, the cans are tilted downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 3 by reason of depression of the track 95, the inclined portion thereof being indicated in Fig. 13 by reference character 2. In this position the flange of the bottom or flat end which embraces the end of the can body is inclined upwardly so that as the solder is remelted itwill flow by gravity into the joint between the body and the end. The heating is accomplished by an elongated burner H3 similar to the burner 9| and leakage.

The.

after this sweating operation has been completed, the cans are cooled by an air blast delivered from a pipe (not shown) similar to the air blast pipe 92 previously described. During their passage over the solder bath and beneath thev burner H3 and the air blast, the cans are being continuously revolved'by engagement of the traveling pinions 66 with the lower rack 4. After the cans havebeen cooled by this air blast, they are restored to horizontal position by an elevation H5 (Fig. 1A) in the track 95. Thereafter the cans travel horizontally toward the turret I8 into a chute consisting of laterally inclined side walls H6 (Fig. 2) which terminate in a downwardly inclined chute H1. The lateral inclination of this chute tends to withdraw the cans from their respective holding dogs which at that point are released by a thrust of the rod 53 to the left. viewing Figs. 2 and 5, resulting from the riding of the rod cap 51 over the face of the stationary cam H8 mounted on the machine frame. The cans comprising the body and the ends now soldered and hermetically sealed thereto are discharged from the chute II'I onto a conveyor or to other apparatus designed for their removal. I From the foregoing it should be manifest that a machine constructed in accordance with my invention is adapted to securely and hermetically seal the slip-on ends of a can onto the body so as to produce a container capable of withstanding considerable internal pressure without danger of The operation of the machine is entirely automatic, one end of the can being first heated, then soldered, then sweated, and then cooled; whereupon the other end is subjected to the same operations, all during a continuous travel of the cans through the machine and while they are being continuously revolved.

The structural details illustrated and described are obviously capable of considerable modification and variation without departure from the essence of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for soldering ends to can bodies, the combination of an endless chain conveyor, spaced sprocket wheels rotatable about horizontal axes around which said conveyor is trained, a plurality of can carrying devices pivotally mounted on said conveyor, each of. said devices including a rotary spindle, a plurality of can holding dogs mounted on one end' of said spindle, said dogs being constructed to engage with an applied can end and support the can assembly from one end only and projecting laterally from said conveyor, means for actuating said dogs into can end engaging and releasing positions, a soldering-bath located beneath the path of travel of the cans carried by the upper lap of the conveyor and adapted to apply solder to the juncture of one can end with the can body traveling ,thereover, means for tilting the soldered bodies relatively to the conveyor to dispose a flange of one of the applied ends in an upwardly inclined position, means for heating the applied solder while the cans are in tilted position, a sec-- ond solder bath located beneath the path of travel of the cans carried by the lower lap of the conveyor and adapted to apply solder to the juncture of the other end with such body, means for tilting the last soldered ends downwardly, and means for heating the last applied solder when the cans are in said tilted position.

2. In a machine for soldering ends to can bodies, the combination of an endless chain con- 75 veyor, a pair of sprocket wheels around which said conveyor is trained, said sprocket wheels being mounted-to rotate about horizontal axes, a series of spindle housings pivotally mounted on said conveyor at one side thereof, said housings being adapted to swing away from the plane of said conveyor in one direction only, a can supporting spindle journaled in each housing, a pinion mounted on each spindle adjacent to the housing pivot, a stationary rack with which said pinions are adapted to mesh during the travel of the conveyor whereby rotation is imparted to said spindles, a supporting roller mounted upon each spindle adjacent the other end of said housing, a track upon which said rollers are supported, said track comprising an inclined por'tion adjacent the upper lap of the conveyor for positively tilting said spindles upwardly in succession during their travel thereover, and a portion adjacent the lower lap of the conveyor adapted to limit the down: ward tilting movements of said spindles under the influence of gravity during their travel thereover, means for applying solder to the joint between a can body and end carried by one of said spindles, means for heating the applied solder when the can body is in tilted position under the influence of said upper portion of said track, means for applying solder to the joint. between said body and the other can end applied thereto, during the travel of said body with the lower lap of said conveyor, and means for applying heat to said last applied solder when the body is in downwardly inclined position and supported by the other portion of said track adjacent the lower lap of the conveyor.

3. In a machine for soldering ends to can bodies, the combination of an endless chain conveyor provided with parallel spindle housing guide walls projecting outwardly therefrom, a spindle housing pivotally mounted between said walls at one side of the conveyor and extending transversely thereof, a spindle journaled in each housing, a pinion mounted on each spindle adjacent the housing pivot, a supporting roller for each spindle at the opposite side of the conveyor, a track upon which said rollers travel, said track being inclined to effect tilting movements of the spindles in succession, a rack conforming to the shape of said track and positioned-to mesh with said pinions during the travel of the spindles and irrespective of the inclination thereof, can supporting means carried by each spindle, means for applying solder to the cans supported by each lap of the conveyor, and means for heating the applied solder while the cans are in tilted position under the influence of said track along each lap of the conveyor.

4. In a machine for soldering ends to can bodies, the combination of an endless carrier, 9. pair of sprocket wheels rotatable about horizontal axes and around which said carrier is trained, horizontal tracks extending between said sprocket wheels and by which the upper and lower stretches of said carrier are supported, a series of spindle housings pivotally mounted on said carrier and disposed transversely of the carrier, a spindle journalled in each housing with its ends extending laterally beyond the carrier, a supporting roller mounted on each spindle, tracks upon which said rollers are supported adjacent to each of said carrier supporting tracks, the elevation of said roller tracks being varied to cause tilting of said spindles with respect to said carrier, a pinion mounted on each spindle, racks with which said pinions mesh and by which said spindles are rotated during their travel with said carrier, can supporting dogs carried by each spindle, means for applying solder to one end of each can body during the travel thereof with the upper stretch of said carrier, means for heating said soldered end when said body is tilted to dispose said end downwardly, means for applying solder to the other end of said body during its travel with the lower stretch of said carrier, and means for heating said last soldered end when said body is tilted to dispose such end downwardly.

ALLAN M. CAMERON. 

